Interactive instructional teaching method (IITM); contribution towards students’ ability in answering unfamiliar types questions of buffer solution

Abstract

Abstract This paper highlights the contribution of the Interactive Instructional Teaching Method (IITM) in improving students’ ability to solve unfamiliar types of questions, adversity quotient, and learning interest in chemistry on the topic of buffer solutions. Two groups of senior high school students from a public school in East Java, Indonesia, participated in this study. One group (experimental) with 29 students experienced IITM, while another group (comparison) with 31 students experienced the Direct Instructional Teaching Model (DITM). The difference in students’ ability between the two groups was assessed using 10 unfamiliar types of questions of buffer solutions. This study uncovered only a small advantage of IITM students over DITM students in answering unfamiliar questions and their adversity quotient scores. However, regarding their learning interest, the contribution of the two teaching approaches was considered equal. Students’ adversity quotient correlated positively to their ability to answer unfamiliar questions of buffer solutions. Meanwhile, the effect of students’ learning interests and adversity quotient on students’ ability to answer unfamiliar questions was found uncorrelated.